For fans of the TurboGrafx and PC Engine, the Analogue Duo has a lot to offer and allows these classic systems to breathe life into their software libraries once more.
Originally released in 1987 in Japan, the PC Engine started off life as a cartridge console, with its own HuCards storage setup. Technically an 8-bit system, much like the Famicom, the PC Engine did have two 16-bit graphics processors, which allowed it to compete more directly with the Super Famicom.
When it came Westward in 1988, it became known as the TurboGrafx-16, with the latter “16” being something of a contentious point, as it technically wasn’t a full-on 16-bit system.
That said, what the PC Engine, and subsequently the TurboGrafx-16, did do very well was handle arcade ports almost perfectly.
The most famous of these was the first R-Type, which was split across two HuCards, which brings me onto the Duo.
The Duo for both systems added a CD-ROM drive to the setup and allowed games with more audio and graphics to be pumped through the system. It also meant that games like R-Type could have their two HuCards combined onto one CD, with an all-new funky soundtrack.
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Considering the legacy of R-Type on the PC Engine, it felt only fitting to test drive it on the Analogue Duo, which again uses a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) like their other retro-inspired systems.
That means that the Analogue Duo is not emulating its games; it’s running them effectively natively.
This is an important point, because if you wanted to play PC Engine games, HuCard or CD, on an original system, let alone the even rarer portable PC Engine GT, you’re going to have your work cut out for you.
Especially as hardware such as the PC Engine GT is notoriously unreliable these days, as these systems weren’t sadly built for a long lifespan, especially when it comes to the old CD-ROM drives in the Duo.
This is where the Analogue Duo comes in and allows classic HuCard and CD-ROM games to be played on modern displays at 1080p.
Games like Macross 2036, being one of the earlier Masaya shmups, are very hard to get a hold of these days, and even harder to play on classic hardware (if you can even find hardware that works).
This is why Analogue, and its family of retro systems using FPGA hardware, are helping to keep classic consoles like the PC Engine and the TurboGrafx-16 alive.
It’s also a helpful way to look back and see how the PC Engine’s foray into CD-ROM games would, in turn, force Nintendo’s hand and their ill-fated alliance with Sony to create the original Nintendo PlayStation.
In many ways, the PC Engine was the indirect start of the PlayStation and the legacy it has had on the games industry.
Thankfully, the Analogue Duo is still readily available from their online shop for $249.99, and the wirelessly compatible 8BitDo PC Engine Mini controller is still on Amazon for $24.24.
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